What if?
by NarglesandNightlock
Summary: What if. A simple word posing a million questions. A collection of oneshots both AU and cannon. Rated T for death, violence and dark themes.


**Hi everyone, this is my new series of oneshots about the Hunger Games. I will update as often as I can and would love to get suggestions from you guys. **

I can hear him crashing through the trees about a few metres to my left. I peer through the gap between the bush and the tree I'm hiding behind, Peeta's back is turned to me and he's picking berries off a bush. Nightlock, deadly, poisonous, gorgeous nightlock. This is my chance and it might be the only one I get.

I pause for a minute. My previous thoughts are that it was either this or being killed by Cato or District 12 and the odds are that it'll be Cato killing me. That is something I do not want to happen, I heard Thresh's cry of pain and Cato's demonic laugh from my hiding spot at the edge of the field. Cato's sword is not something I want to be on the wrong side of.

If I don't do this I will die in a much bloodier way. Running into Cato and getting skewered by his sword, getting shot in the head by Katniss. The boy, Peeta, he won't kill me though. I don't think he's made a single kill so far. I have, and it already haunts me. I see his reasoning. But now we'll be even, one kill each. The boy from District 10 for me and me for the boy from District 12.

The boy from District 10 died on the eighth day, he walked into my trap and I slit his throat. My trap was meant to catch food and I had spent all morning perfecting it when the boy stumbled into it. It's a pity about the unspoken rule, I was starving at that point. The nuts and berries I managed to gather weren't enough and I was too scared to steal.

But that doesn't matter now, if I go through with this none of it will matter. I bite my lip and then mentally slap myself. _Do you want them to die? _If I so much as hint at the fact that this is all a plan then my family will pay for it. I am almost 100% sure the cameras are trained on me right now.

Suicide is the second unspoken rule of the Games. The Capitol doesn't like it, it makes them seem stupid, outsmarted by a tribute. I've seen what they do to tributes who defy them, the male tribute from five years ago had his whole family killed by 'food poisoning' because he committed suicide. It's sick making people pay even when they're already dead. But I'm smarter than him. I am clever enough to pretend to be stupid.

I'll put on a show, inspect my ticket to death and play stupid. If I ever get the chance. Peeta is still picking the berries from a bush near by, he'll see me. That, I guess is my one comfort, they'll probably figure out the nightlock as soon as the cannon sounds and I know they'll be able to defeat Cato together. Maybe I won't be his only kill, maybe he'll kill Cato too. He'll do anything for the girl, that much is obvious.

He turns and puts the berries down on the grass next to what looks like cheese and I flinch when his eyes pass my hiding place. He doesn't see me and I exhale when he turns back. He spots something a little way off to the right and stumbles in it's direction. I wait a few seconds to make sure he's gone and peek out from behind the bush. I can just see his ash blonde hair through the green foliage about a hundred metres away.

I tiptoe towards the berries. They lie in a pile on the ground next to some goats cheese. I take a bit of cheese and nibble on it, I might as well have something nice and put on a bit of a show. As long as they are convinced of my stupidity, my family is fine. I pick up a berry and hold it up to my eye as if inspecting it, inspecting my ticket to death.

It's better, dying. The victors are always monsters, horrible people who have killed. Some just for fun. I don't want to be a monster. But the boy is different, better than the rest I guess. Or maybe that's just what I tell myself to stop the guilt of condemning someone to being a monster.

I take a deep breath in and silently say my goodbyes. Goodbye mom. Goodbye dad. Goodbye sweet, little Lia. Stay safe. I exhale. I scoop up a few berries, place them on my tongue and swallow. Goodbye world.

_**BOOM**_

**Please R&R, thanks for reading!**


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